NTT Com will offer the complete FireEye product suite via its WideAngle Managed Service, augmenting its existing security capabilities with FireEye’s MVX technology, threat intelligence and expertise to reduce security threats from targeted attacks and advanced persistent threat groups. This includes Real Time Malware Detection "RTMD" to identify previously unknown malware using the FireEye MVX engine, a virtual environment that detects and analysis unknown malware through multiple vectors including, network traffic, email and endpoints. When a threat is identified, RTMD can isolate the malware and block any outbound communication triggered by an attack.

Once an attack is identified, NTT Com will manage the response to determine the extent of an attack and use FireEye Threat Intelligence to help identify if an advanced attack group was involved with the operation. As part of this service, NTT Com will help prevent further damage or data exfiltration in the clients’ ICT environments, this protection extends to endpoints, a common attack vector.

In January 2015, NTT Communications began offering a software security appliance service that can be deployed in a customer’s private cloud, and in the near future via NTT Com’s WideAngle security service for managed security.

The service, which is offered in collaboration with Fortinet, enables the on-demand use of basic security functions, such as cloud intrusion prevention system (IPS) and filtering, for the unprecedentedly fast, flexible and low-cost implementation of security measures.

NTT Com is the world’s first telecom service provider to launch a one-stop service for managed security service using Fortinet’s software security appliance. It is being offered as a new option in NTT Com’s Enterprise Cloud service for mission critical systems.

The enhanced MSS, which is available under the company’s single global brand, WideAngle, is capable of analysing vast amounts of disparate data and distilling it into actionable information that enables businesses to manage increasingly diverse threats and make informed risk management decisions.

The new service has three key building blocks – device management, automated analysis and security enrichment – and is delivered by NTT Com Security experts through its Global Risk Operations Centres (GROC). The 24/7 service is available in five different service levels.

The 500 millionth LTE subscriber was activated sometime in January 2015. GSA, the Global mobile Suppliers Association, confirms that LTE reached 497 million subs by December 2014, citing data from Ovum. A total of 290 million LTE subscriptions were gained in the year, equivalent to 140% annual growth. This gives LTE a faster adoption cycle than 3G/WCDMA-HSPA by 21% during the last 6 months of 2014.

Alan Hadden, Vice President of Research, GSA said "LTE subscriptions grew by 115 million in Q4, over 36% higher than 3G/WCDMA-HSPA connections. GSM subscriptions fell by 78.5 million in the same period. We are confident that LTE growth will continue to lead all other mobile systems."

Some other highlights:

The APAC region increased its share of connections to 47% by end December 2014 compared to 40% in June 2014.

North America is the second largest LTE market with 33% of global LTE subscriptions, down from 42.3% in six months previously, while Europe increased its share in the same period from 14.3% to 16% by year end.

LTE net subscription additions in Q4 2014 were 45% higher than in the previous quarter.

GSA forecasts there will be at least 450 commercially launched LTE networks globally by end 2015, up from 364 that had entered service by the end of last year, with deployment of LTE-Advanced technologies as a major industry trend in all regions. Further details will be provided in the next Evolution to LTE report to be published by GSA this month.

Level 3, XO, Cogent and Zayo top the list of Competitive Providers selling Carrier Ethernet services in the U.S., according to Vertical Systems Group's latest 2014 U.S. Competitive Provider Ethernet LEADERBOARD. The companies are ranked by share of billable U.S retail ports delivered by competitive service providers as of year-end 2014.

Each of these four companies has attained either a LEADERBOARD rank or a Challenge Tier citation on the 2014 U.S. Carrier Ethernet LEADERBOARD, the industry benchmark for measuring Ethernet market presence in the U.S.

"The large number of Competitive Providers selling Ethernet in the U.S. affords business customers an extensive choice of services, price points and delivery options," said Rick Malone, principal at Vertical Systems Group. "While the Level 3 acquisition of tw telecom garnered a lot of industry attention, most companies in this segment substantially grew their Ethernet businesses to gain market share in 2014."